You throw the ball. You catch the ball. You hit the ball…Of course, baseball fans know that this line from Bull Durham is far from true, part of the humor of the movie and a huge part of the fun of the game. This blog is a space to talk about baseball, being a baseball fan, all of those things that make the game fun and the Angels, because they make baseball fun for me.

So let me get this straight. Tyler Chatwood is batting 1.000 (In addition to pitching a great game!). Jered Weaver is a beast even with precious little run support – six punch outs and 20 first pitch strikes on 28 batters! Torii Hunter is the run support – both RBIs on Monday were Torii! The bats are waking up, including Vernon Wells’ – he’s batting .292 with seven RBIs and three homeruns on this road trip so far! And Maicer Izturis is the Rally Monkey. Well, it sounds like everything is working out alright to me.

The Angels’ Crazy Four Corners Interleague-ean Baseball Odyssey, Stop #3: Miami. Photo by This is a very simple game...

The Angels redeemed themselves against the Mets in game three and then, in their next stop on the Four Corners Road Trip, went on to win game one against the Marlins. Things seem to be falling back into place again in the sense that each component of the Angels’ game has been strong enough that some of the parts are able to take the slack for another part, when that part fails. No offense on Monday? Weaver’s pitching, the bullpen and the defense carried the day. Scary bullpen on Sunday? No problem. Again, starting pitching, this time Chatwood’s, and the offense, also including Chatwood not to mention Wells, Peter Bourjos, Jeff Mathis and several others – built up enough of a lead that it all worked out. Keep it up guys and we might have ourselves a pretty good streak going!

However, I was amused to look at headlines on MLB.com last night and discover that somehow, we may have beat the Marlins but somehow we also lost to the Braves last night:

Fun with captions...or...Wait a minute! I thought the Angels beat the Marlins last night. What gives?! Screenshot of the MLB.com headlines June 20, 2011.

Hmmmm…what exactly are they saying here? That Tim Hudson is so good, he single handedly beat the Blue Jays and a team the Braves weren’t even playing? Or is this a Freudian commentary on the Angels chronic lack of run support? The headline was corrected this morning, and possibly even moments after I noticed it. But notice it I did, and it was too funny to to share with you all…and now I sincerely hope MLB never takes a comedic look at the typos and crimes against commas I have committed on this blog, LOL.

Actually, as you all probably know, it went a bit beyond that. The deal with Fox that Bud Selig rejected yesterday was the last possible call from the governor that Frank McCourt had any hope of hearing. And even though it makes things a little rougher still for the Dodgers right now, I could not be happier. Selig, as quoted in the MLB.com article really said it best: Critically, the transaction is structured to facilitate the further diversion of Dodgers assets for the personal needs of Mr. McCourt. Given the magnitude of the transaction, such a diversion of assets would have the effect of mortgaging the future of the franchise to the long-term detriment of the club and its fans.

As a baseball fan, and as a lady who rooted passionately for the Dodgers in childhood, the last few seasons under the Mommy Dearest like affections of the McCourts have made me ill. The Dodgers are one of the most storied franchises in baseball and their fans are great people. I may give my friends and family good-natured crap and about leaving the game before the 8th inning, but Dodger fans are a passionate, knowledgeable, blue-bleeding bunch and they do not deserve the past few years’ treatment any more than the players do. The only hope the Dodgers have of full and lasting recovery from this particular abusive relationship, is if the McCourts are no longer in the picture.

So, citizens of Dodgertown, (hey, I get your emails and read your billboards from time to time) I tip my glass to you with the sincerest hopes that this is the beginning of much, much better things to come for you. Perhaps even eventual ownership by Steve Garvey and Orel Hershiser, which is the rumor I most hope is true. My glass is full of coffee, mind you, because it’s the middle of the day and all that. But, really, it’s the thought that counts! I even wish you a long and fruitful winning streak…starting in about two weeks. ;)

Post Tuesday Game Edit:

Okay. Granted the Marlins had just lost 11 in a row. Rationally there were going to win one eventually. But why do I feel like the Angels are the slump buster team of the American League, temporarily on loan to the National League? Overreacting? Just a tad. Which is why I typically don’t post immediately following a game. We’ll get ‘em tomorrow. But still! Five to two? Shut out until the ninth inning? Really? Guys. When I talked about keeping it up and getting a streak going, this is pretty much the antithesis of what I was talking about…and by pretty much, I mean exactly.

Mark – Thanks! Hopefully they go back to well tonight. That’s fun that you watch the Angels games. I can usually only catch other games on the weekend because during the week all the east coast and central games are over or in the 8th by the time I get home from work and my game is starting. But you better bet I catch up around both leagues on Quick Pitch or the like.

That typo is hilarious! It’s also a bit sad though. I know I’m from this post-first-proofread-later generation, but seriously, I would’ve thought that a major sports league would check their posts before making it public.

C- I’m actually surprised it doesn’t happen more often. :) You wouldn’t know it from my blog because I can’t proof my own writing to save my life, especially late at night when I write most of this, but part of my last job was proofing (and writing, project coordinating, etc.) national ad campaigns, mailers and mortgage offers for a bank and, trust me, sometimes no matter how careful everyone is, something gets out. And more often than not, it’s in a really obvious place because everyone was not seeing the bold 48pt headlines for all the body copy and fine print that day. MLB.com is pretty good with the proofing actually which is why this was so funny.

I love the MLB.com headline. And that’s from a ‘professional’ journalist..?! I’m also hoping things turn out well for the Dodgers…such a legendary franchise. It was fun to watch them play the Tigers.
–Mike
‘Minoring In Baseball’

Mike – Well, even pros have a bad editing day every now and then, and the humor of the gaff truely made my day, so I can’t complain. Regarding the Dodgers, yeah, I think that no one who really loves baseball wants to see them fall…beat them handily in games, yes, but outright fall, no.

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